(And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD until even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD said, Go up against him.)
The Israelites went up to God and cried before Him until evening, asking for His guidance. They said, 'Should we go to war again against our relatives, the tribe of Benjamin?' And the Lord answered, 'Yes, go fight against them.'
The Israelites are seeking God's direction about whether to continue fighting their fellow Israelites from Benjamin, and God tells them to proceed with the battle.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs during the civil war between Israel and the tribe of Benjamin after the horrific crime in Gibeah (Judges 19). The other eleven tribes had already suffered a devastating defeat in their first battle against Benjamin, losing 22,000 men. Now they're seeking God's counsel again before their second attempt at battle.
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